There are an awful lot of widows with nifty cars they can't bear to part with because their husband died.

A guy I know spent about 10 years shaking one loose from some old girl. It sounds kind of self-serving, but he's actually become a bit of a caretaker for her. Years after she finally agreed to sell him the car (for a fair price, he wasn't trying to take advantage of her), he still checks in on her once a month or so, takes care of her driveway when it snows and picks her up for a Sunday drive a few times during the decent weather.

There are an awful lot of widows with nifty cars they can't bear to part with because their husband died.

A guy I know spent about 10 years shaking one loose from some old girl. It sounds kind of self-serving, but he's actually become a bit of a caretaker for her. Years after she finally agreed to sell him the car (for a fair price, he wasn't trying to take advantage of her), he still checks in on her once a month or so, takes care of her driveway when it snows and picks her up for a Sunday drive a few times during the decent weather.

Nice to hear about good people doing good things! And getting cool stuff to boot.

There are an awful lot of widows with nifty cars they can't bear to part with because their husband died.

A guy I know spent about 10 years shaking one loose from some old girl. It sounds kind of self-serving, but he's actually become a bit of a caretaker for her. Years after she finally agreed to sell him the car (for a fair price, he wasn't trying to take advantage of her), he still checks in on her once a month or so, takes care of her driveway when it snows and picks her up for a Sunday drive a few times during the decent weather.

That's pretty cool.

One of the guys in the office has romanced a couple of cars out of ladies. One of them was a Super Bee that sat around town here for years, that this gal would not give up for anything. Well Rob talked her out of it somehow. Drag pack car, original 440 car, he gathered up history and some correct parts to begin restoration, then ebayed it. He paid about 8,000 I think. Got over $27,000.

He also had worked on a gal in Missoula on a Cuda with 383 and 3 speed stick. He worked her so hard the running joke in the office was he would be arrested for stalking. He even emailed her pictures of the cash he was offering. She finally succumbed and took about 8500 or 9K for it, and he's in the middle of the restoration. The car is 1 of very few with the odd options it has. (Still just an old rattly plymouth to me)

Nice to hear about good people doing good things! And getting cool stuff to boot.

Same guy called me a few years ago.

His neighbor across the street was getting on in years. He had a 1970 Thunderbird that he purchased new. He asked my pal Larry how much he could get for it. Larry told him that T-birds of that vintage weren't really collectible and that he'd be lucky to get $2,000 for it.

Guy tells him "If you know somebody who'll buy it for that, I just want it gone."

Larry sent me photos. The car was in absolutely immaculate condition, with just over 100k. He put a fresh battery in it and said it was one of the nicest driving cars he'd ever been in.

I mentioned it to my father-in-law, who was ready to buy it, but passed away suddenly the very next week.

I really should've picked it up anyway and flipped it, but I couldn't get my shit together.

The lesson here is that the cars are out there. You just need to put yourself in the right place and be ready to move.

His neighbor across the street was getting on in years. He had a 1970 Thunderbird that he purchased new. He asked my pal Larry how much he could get for it. Larry told him that T-birds of that vintage weren't really collectible and that he'd be lucky to get $2,000 for it.

Guy tells him "If you know somebody who'll buy it for that, I just want it gone."

Larry sent me photos. The car was in absolutely immaculate condition, with just over 100k. He put a fresh battery in it and said it was one of the nicest driving cars he'd ever been in.

I mentioned it to my father-in-law, who was ready to buy it, but passed away suddenly the very next week.

I really should've picked it up anyway and flipped it, but I couldn't get my shit together.

The lesson here is that the cars are out there. You just need to put yourself in the right place and be ready to move.

I missed out on a nice model A dump truck when things got divided up after my wifes grandfather died. It was a nice piece and I could have had it for free......I was young and poor and had no place for it, I can just see leaving it out in the weather for ten years and then what. If that happened now, it would be mine and I could take care of it. Flipping it.....not so much, she would have never let me sell it.

Cool story.... last Saturday I had to run an errand over to this guys house, I turned down the wrong street (do it every time) and I see an OLD Honda sitting at the edge of a driveway - looking spotless and inside the garage which was open I see 3 or 4 more bikes and the owner out as I pass by.

I didn't stop as I had to get to this other guys house to drop something off before he left. So on the way home I swing by the Honda again, but the owner is inside.

So I park and go to his door -- old guy, hearing aide answers the door.

I ask if the Honda is for sale, and he said no, he just leaves it out there to cool off before putting in the garage.

So we get to talking and it's a 1967 (he might have said '66) Honda 300 - he's the ORIGINAL owner! The thing looks like showroom new. Turns out he loves to CLEAN his bikes, but NOT maintain them (he pays someone to do that).

He bought it when he was younger, and keeps it clean. Has original 12,000 miles on it.

So we walk into his garage, and there is a 1977 Yamaha RD 400 2 stroke. SPOTLESS - I mean SPOTLESS. Again, it was his 2nd bike - original owner. Bought it on one of his birthdays for himself.

Then next to that is a 1994 GSX-R 1000 ! AGAIN, think looks showroom new. 14,xxx miles on it. Bought it on his 55th birthday he said.

And then finally a 2007 FJR 1300 bought on his birthday again!!!

His son lives across the street (he's 36) and doesn't ride motorcycles. He got his license years ago, but never took to them.

We ended up talking for a good 30-45 minutes. Nice guy, likes to talk. Just moved here couple years ago from Florida. That Honda and Yamaha RD looked incredible.

He said the Honda had the ORIGINAL rear tire still. It's hard as a rock he said ... I saw cracking on the sidewall for sure, but he rides it like that. Quite a character. Wish I had my camera with. I'm sure I'll meet up with him again on a Sunday ride and I'll snap some pictures then and share.

Not in a barn but this poor beauty is just rotting a block from my office, I drive by it every day. Yes, those weeds are growing up into the bottom of the car. Every time I see it I feel like the Indian with the single tear rolling down my cheek.